Elvis Presley's Watches: The Omega, the Rolex and the Ventura
Elvis Presley is best remembered for a Hamilton, but the best-documented watches in his story are an Omega from RCA and a Rolex King Midas from a Houston rodeo. This guide separates what is firmly documented from what is only reported: the Ventura he wore in Blue Hawaii (1961), the diamond-set Omega that sold in 2018, the Rolex now at Graceland, and the watches he gave away. It covers watches only, with US-dollar prices and sale dates where our sources give them.
The short answer
Two watches are solidly documented: the Omega, Tiffany & Co.-signed white-gold watch given by RCA Victor for 75 million records (inscribed 12-25-60; sold May 2018 for about $1.8M) and the Rolex King Midas ref. 9630, no. 343 , received in 1970 and displayed at Graceland. His link to the Hamilton Ventura is confirmed by many outlets, but we could not find the reference, and how he came to own it is uncertain. The Omega Constellation given to Charlie Hodge and the Corum Buckingham given to Richard Davis are reported by single sources. A Rolex Submariner 6538 is listed by one outlet only and stays uncertain.
Who wears what: quick reference
| Character (actor) | Watches |
|---|---|
| On screen and on the wrist: the Ventura(1957 to 1965) | Hamilton Ventura (white gold, as described for the film watch); Hamilton Ventura, black dial, bought Christmas 1965; Hamilton Venturas given as gifts |
| Gifts to Elvis: Omega and Rolex(1960 to 1970) | Omega, Tiffany & Co.-signed 18k white gold, 44 diamonds on the bezel, manual caliber 510; Rolex King Midas, 18k gold, square case, integrated bracelet, no. 343 of 1,000 |
| Gifts from Elvis: Constellation and Corum(1960s to 2016) | Omega Constellation Calendar, pink-gold-plated steel (one source says gold, black dial); Corum Buckingham, 18k yellow gold |
| Thinly sourced: the Submariner(Unverified) | Rolex Submariner “Big Crown” |
How we label the evidence
Confirmed means a costume designer, prop department, the brand or the show itself said so, or multiple reputable outlets agree and cite a source. Reported means a single reputable outlet or database reports it. We leave out other fan speculation, and where sources disagree we say so. All prices are in US dollars and are indicative; check current listings before buying.
On screen and on the wrist: the Ventura (1957 to 1965)
The Hamilton Ventura is the watch most associated with Presley. Several outlets say he wore one in Blue Hawaii (1961) as Chad Gates, and photographs show him wearing a Ventura backstage and during his army service in Germany, where he swapped the strap for a bracelet. No source we read gives a reference number, and none documents a product-placement deal, so we do not claim one.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Ventura (white gold, as described for the film watch) | Not given in any source we read | Confirmed | Association with Presley and Blue Hawaii (1961) is confirmed by several outlets. How the watch came to be in the film is UNCERTAIN: one historian speculates he owned one and was fascinated by it. Designed by Richard Arbib and introduced in January 1957 as the first electric watch | 1957 retail $200 (Quill & Pad). No auction price found |
| Hamilton Ventura, black dial, bought Christmas 1965 | Not given | Reported | Quill & Pad says it was bought on Christmas Eve 1965, kept until his death and sold in the 1999 Graceland auction, after which Hamilton bought it back with the original receipt. It is now in Hamilton's museum. Other outlets agree on 1965, the 1999 sale and the Hamilton museum, but the Christmas Eve date rests on one source | No price found; Hamilton holds it |
| Hamilton Venturas given as gifts | Not given | Reported | Quill & Pad, citing Hamilton, says he gave Venturas to friends in the early 1960s, including members of his entourage. Worn & Wound says he sometimes gave them away | Not stated |
Two different Venturas are in play. One outlet says he bought his in 1965 and wore it on the set of Blue Hawaii, which cannot be right for a 1961 film. We therefore treat it as a Ventura worn in 1961 and a second one bought in 1965, and flag the dating as UNCERTAIN.
Gifts to Elvis: Omega and Rolex (1960 to 1970)
Two presentation watches carry the strongest paper trail in this guide. One came from his record label and the other from a rodeo committee, and both are inscribed.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega, Tiffany & Co.-signed 18k white gold, 44 diamonds on the bezel, manual caliber 510 | Not given | Confirmed | Case back reads “To Elvis 75 Million Records RCA Victor 12-25-60”. Given by RCA in February 1961, dial signed Tiffany, photographs show him wearing it, and the Elvis Presley Museum's Jimmy Velvet supplied an authenticity letter. Phillips later reported the consignor's account that Presley traded it to the owner's uncle for a diamond-set Hamilton (consignor's account, so REPORTED) | About $1.8M (Phillips Geneva, May 12-13, 2018); reported as CHF 1,812,500 with premium, a record for an Omega and for Elvis memorabilia |
| Rolex King Midas, 18k gold, square case, integrated bracelet, no. 343 of 1,000 | 9630 | Confirmed | Phillips states he received no. 343 in 1970 after his Houston shows and that it is displayed at Graceland. Quill & Pad adds that the case back is engraved by Houston Livestock Show officers, that it followed six sold-out Astrodome shows and that the dial is damaged. Not water-resistant | Retail $2,500 in 1970 (Quill & Pad). His own watch is not for sale |
The Omega is not a Constellation. We call it a Tiffany & Co.-signed white-gold Omega, as Phillips does. Its price is quoted differently by source: about US$1.8M, CHF 1.5M (probably the hammer price) and CHF 1,812,500 with premium. Estimates also differ between summaries, so we do not quote one.
Gifts from Elvis: Constellation and Corum (1960s to 2016)
Presley gave watches to people around him. Two of those gifts reached auction with photographs and letters from the recipients, which is why they are on record.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega Constellation Calendar, pink-gold-plated steel (one source says gold, black dial) | Not stated | Reported | Given to Charlie Hodge after Hodge admired it. Photographs show Presley wearing it, including in army fatigues, and a letter from Hodge accompanied the watch. Sources disagree on the case material | Antiquorum: $52,500 hammer (June 2012); $37,500 (December 2014). One outlet gives $52,000, undated |
| Corum Buckingham, 18k yellow gold | Not stated | Reported | Reported by JustCollecting from the Antiquorum catalogue: worn through the 1960s, given to Richard Davis, engraved “To Richard, From E.P.”, offered with eight colour photographs and a letter from Davis. Estimate $10,000 to $20,000 | $22,500 (Antiquorum New York, April 20, 2016; single source) |
A later UK resale of a Presley Corum in November 2020 appears only in a search summary, and we could not confirm that it was the same watch, so we leave it out of the table.
Thinly sourced: the Submariner (Unverified)
One outlet lists a Rolex Submariner ref. 6538 as an Elvis watch but says little is known about his specific example. We found no photograph or lot record. Quill & Pad says only that he owned a sizable number of Rolexes. It is included so readers can see that the claim exists, not because it is established.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Submariner “Big Crown” | 6538 | Uncertain | Single-source listing. No photograph or lot cited | Not applicable |
We found no Patek Philippe linked to him either. A watch visible on his 1960 Frank Sinatra Timex Show appearance could not be identified.
The Hamilton connection and the tribute watches
A retrospective nickname. The Ventura was designed in 1957 by Richard Arbib. It was not made for Presley, and the “Elvis watch” label is retrospective. It was billed as the first electric watch, ran for about seven years and was revived in 1988. See our Hamilton Ventura history and the Hamilton brand page.
The King Midas sister piece. Phillips New York offered a sister piece, a ref. 9630 from about 1972, as Lot 92 in Watch Auction XIV on June 13-14, 2026 with an estimate of $50,000 to $100,000. It came from the family of M.C. “Buddy” Bray, the Houston Livestock Show president who arranged Presley's Houston engagement. The page we read does not state a result. It is not Presley's own watch.
Tribute editions. Hamilton has issued Elvis-themed Ventura models: the Ventura Elvis80 for what would have been his 80th birthday in 2015, a 2017 collection for the Ventura's 60th anniversary, and an Elvis Anniversary Collection in 2010 that we could only confirm from a search summary. The skeleton edition's date conflicts: one retailer says 2017, another treats it as new in 2021. These are modern tributes and not his watches.
Why the paper trail matters. The Omega and the Rolex are inscribed gifts with named givers and dates, and one is on display at Graceland. The Ventura is the opposite: widely photographed, but with the reference, the film acquisition and part of the ownership chain unproven. For other famous watch stories see our hub for famous people's watches.
Get the look for less
Modern Hamilton tributes, not Presley's watches. Prices are indicative and come from the dates shown.
| Watch | Why it fits | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Ventura Elvis80 Skeleton | Modern tribute to the triangular Ventura, 42 x 45 mm | $1,795 (Watchonista, March 24, 2021); Hamilton's Spanish site lists the Elvis80 Auto and Skeleton at EUR 1,775 to 2,175, not converted (retrieved October 13, 2026) |
| Hamilton Ventura Elvis80 Automatic | Steel with black PVD, H10 caliber, 42.5 x 44.6 mm | See the EUR range above; no US price confirmed |
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “Elvis bought his Ventura in 1965 and wore it in Blue Hawaii.” The film dates from 1961, so these are different watches, or the dating is wrong.
- “The Ventura was designed for Elvis.” It was designed in 1957 and he was wearing one by 1961. Hamilton markets the link, and some of that coverage is sponsored.
- “The diamond Omega is a Constellation.” Phillips does not say so. We call it a Tiffany & Co.-signed white-gold Omega.
- “He owned a Rolex Submariner 6538.” Only one outlet lists it and it cites no photograph or lot. We treat it as uncertain.
- “Sources disagree on the Omega's price.” They differ by currency and premium: roughly $1.8M, with CHF 1.5M likely the hammer and CHF 1,812,500 including premium.
- “Elvis wore the Elvis80 Ventura.” It is a 2015 tribute model, not his watch.
Sources
Phillips lot article and its New York June 2026 watch article; National Jeweler; JustCollecting; The Peninsula Qatar; Quill & Pad; Worn & Wound (sponsored by Hamilton); A Blog To Watch; Teddy Baldassarre; Watchonista; Swisswatchexpo; Hamilton Spain. We could not read the Guernsey's 1999 catalogue, Graceland's own pages or Hamilton's English Elvis page. Prices are in US dollars unless marked and carry their sale dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch is Elvis Presley most associated with?
The Hamilton Ventura. Several outlets say he wore one in Blue Hawaii (1961), though we found no reference number and how he got it is uncertain.
How much did Elvis Presley's Omega sell for?
About $1.8M at Phillips Geneva on May 12-13, 2018, reported as CHF 1,812,500 with premium. It is inscribed “To Elvis 75 Million Records RCA Victor 12-25-60”.
Where is Elvis Presley's Rolex?
Phillips says his Rolex King Midas ref. 9630, no. 343 of 1,000, is displayed at Graceland. He received it in 1970 after his Houston shows.
Did Elvis give away watches?
Reportedly yes. An Omega Constellation went to Charlie Hodge and a Corum Buckingham to Richard Davis, and both reached auction with letters from the recipients.
Did Elvis Presley own a Rolex Submariner?
One outlet lists a ref. 6538, but cites no photograph or lot. We treat it as uncertain.
Can you buy an Elvis watch today?
Hamilton sells Ventura Elvis80 tribute models, for example at $1,795 for the skeleton in March 2021, but they are not his watches.
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